In internal combustion engines, it is well known that one of the causes of low efficiency is incomplete combustion of the fuel-air blend commonly referred to as the fuel mixture. It is becoming more important to provide increased efficiency for motor vehicle engines because of the depleting supply of easily accessible natural oil resources and also because of environmental problems due to the emissions related to incomplete combustion.
Many efforts have been directed to improve the efficiency of motor vehicle engines including different ways to vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the incoming air. Efforts have also been directed to shaping the combustion chamber to provide maximum combustion. However, the efforts to create an optimally shaped combustion chamber and ideal blending of the fuel and air have been hampered due to the uncertainties of the time and location of the ignition spark.
Efforts have also been directed to incorporating ultraviolet radiation to stimulate the oxygen molecules being fed into the combustion chamber to precondition the oxygen atoms before ignition such that the oxygen atoms in the unburned fuel air blend stimulates the flame as it moves through the unburned mixture. Alternately, the ultraviolet light irradiates the flame and is absorbed by the flame and not by the unburned mixture. Ultraviolet radiation is also known to stimulate the fuel before entry into the combustion chamber to provide hypergolic combustion when the fuel enters the combustion chamber with previously introduced air. Other modifications provide irradiation of the fuel and oxygen within the combustion chamber to provide hypergolic combustion.
These methods all require extended light sources to irradiate large areas of the combustion chamber or the entire oxygen supply entering the combustion chamber. Extended sources require more power and are not as durable as point sources of ultraviolet radiation. Secondly, most of these ultraviolet enhanced combustion designs require incorporation of an extended ultraviolet light sources built into the engine block or cylinder head adjacent each combustion chamber. This proximity of the lamps to the combustion chamber require extensive redesign to the engine block and byliner heads.
These constructions, furthermore, require extensive repair costs if one of the light sources fails. The engine must be disassembled to replace or repair the failed ultraviolet lamp. Other constructions provide for a light source mounted within a wall of the combustion chamber. A separate light source is required for each combustion chamber.
Furthermore, none of the disclosed uses of ultraviolet light are directed to precisely locating the commencement of ignition or timing the commencement of ignition.
What is needed is an ultraviolet light ignition system that reduces the uncertainties associated with the commencement of ignition relating to time and location. What is also needed is a single source of ultraviolet light that supplies ultraviolet light to all combustion chambers of the engine. What is further needed is an ultraviolet light source that is conveniently mounted externally of the engine housing and transmits its light to the combustion chamber via an optical wave guide such as an optical fiber. Furthermore, what is needed is an ultraviolet light source that provides a beam of light directed to the gap between the electrodes of the spark plug to create a more powerful and longer spark to commence ignition within the combustion chamber without extensive redesign of the engine block or cylinder head.